Tedious Obstacles [Kasha, Kei]

Koizumi Kasha

Flowing Flame-like Bird | END POST

KEI SAIONJI

Kei might be gay, flashy with her Kidō, and fashionable, but she was not flamboyant. There was a time and place for standing out just as there was a time and place for the droll and tedious. Today, it was the latter. It was the kind of day to handle things like requisition requests, inter-divisional complaints, and requests to see the Captain or Vice-Captain. It was a light day today, and the most interesting thing was an appointment from an unseated member of the... Kei looked back down at the note to remember the division. Right. Eighth.

Kei didn't necessarily dislike this duty as a 3rd Seat. She was kind-of the last stop before issues got serious and that kind of leverage was nice. Being able to go "Are you sure you want me to get Vice-Captain Masamune involved? Are you sure it's important enough?" was enough to get most things handled on her own level. What was different from most other requests was the subject matter. It was stepping on the toes of the 6th Division some. It might wrinkle some feathers—possibly even her brother's. But she had a duty to uphold that went before such personal trifles such as a bruised ego.

What Kei didn't like about these meetings was when the requestor was purposefully obtuse or tried to conceal information. If this "Kasha" person had filled out a bit more, Kei might have even been able to rubber-stamp this without even having to arrange an appointment. Ah well. It'd just be another person to meet, and Kei had at least heard that Kasha was attractive—though many would add "unconventionally." It did pique her curiosity if nothing else...

Kei noticed the time and proceeded to open the sliding door to her cramped office—it was big enough for her chair, a two-drawer desk, two small chairs (though it'd be a snug fit for two to actually get in), a filing cabinet, and a potted peace lily. She pulled out the minimally-filled-out paperwork for a last-minute glance through. After getting mostly through it, Kasha arrived almost exactly on time.

Kei's first thought was that the rumors were true. Kasha was attractive. Unfortunately not as well-endowed as Kei enjoyed but that was about the only downside she saw. She smiled, and gestured for her guest to sit. "Kei Saionji, provisional third seat and first daughter of the Saionji family. I presume you're my appointment this morning, Ms. Kasha?" Kei wasn't one to wait long before jumping into the meat of the conversation. "So you wish to conduct an independent investigation... but on the paperwork, you didn't specify on what. Can you elaborate on what you wish to investigate?"

Koizumi Kasha

Flowing Flame-like Bird | END POST

KEI SAIONJI

Kei nodded along as Kasha explained why he should be allowed such authority. It felt a bit boilerplate-y, but to be fair, so did the authorization letter. It seemed a little impersonal—almost as if someone else might have been requesting this and using Kasha as a means to get the authorization. And yet something in Kasha's reasoning caught her attention. "Pre-United Fifth or United Fifth?" That was Kei's first question.

It was an inconsequential question to most. But Kei didn't necessarily trust the covert operations branch of the Gotei. She barely tolerated the Onmitsukidō back in the day, but she didn't have to deal with them. This branch was nothing more than the arm that did the dirty work the Gotei was too proud to do out in the open. She'd be more willing to bet on the 5th planting evidence than finding it.

"You do seem to have some qualifications to undertake such an investigation..." Kei leaned back and stared at a spot above Kasha's head. "But I do have a few concerns. First is your authority. If you were a seated member, I don't think it'd be much of an issue, but the other Divisions may not take kindly to an unseated officer poking around. I presume that's the main reason you're wanting First Division authorization. And also..." Kei focused her attention back on Kasha. "What answer are you promising?"

Koizumi Kasha

Flowing Flame-like Bird | END POST

KEI SAIONJI

Kei felt people who were roundabout were, in some ways, a relief. J was a blunt, if naive, instrument. He'd say the quiet part out loud and then ask "Did I say something wrong?" when she gave him a horrified look. On the other hand, she didn't like people being too abstract when they wanted something. Kasha was lucky he wasn't one of those or Kei would approve him for farm duty with all this talk of haystacks.

Kei made a thinking noise. Kasha made a good argument, and Kei couldn't argue against his qualifications... And yet Kei couldn't shake the feeling of being played. That might be her own paranoia slipping in though. She had been around J a lot. "That would allow our more qualified individuals to redouble their efforts. I'll need to assign someone to be your liaison with the Sixth—someone more qualified on investigative matters than I am to check your work before it's turned in, as well as to provide assistance with Sixth Division resources if need be. And, frankly, they'd be there to smooth things over with them having to share the investigative spotlight. That Division can be a bit wound-up." Kei found the rolodex that had the seated officers of the Sixth listed while she awaited any rebuttals from Kasha.

Koizumi Kasha

Flowing Flame-like Bird | END POST

KEI SAIONJI

Kei couldn't help but to hear the praise for her brother. Good. Other people needed to know how great he was. If J had not told her about his date, she might have tried to set the two of them up. J seemed to want delicate, and that was at least the facade Kasha had fooled Kei with. However, Toki Hinamori was someone worth considering as well. Many of the younger women who didn't know about the incident a century ago had commented on how good he looked.

And yet Kei had trouble separating son from father. She may not have been involved in that conflict directly, but she had lost more than one friend in the chaos that resulted from that. It was just good that Kei only had to consider him in a professional sense. He had too much in one department and not enough in another for her tastes.

Kasha's switch to what would have been her next question was needed. Kei didn't like digging up her own old memories. She made another thinking noise. She had made her decision on at least one more part of this now. "I hadn't considered the possibility of it being internal..." Kei sighed, then giggled herself. "But that's why I'm here and not the Sixth, right?" That and the fact that this Division has a higher ratio of cuties. "By focusing on the internal angle, you'd be subject to people getting their pride hurt. If you make people even think that you're accusing them of harming one of their own, it might push them into being defensive. I presume you can handle that?" Kei pulled out an inkpen as she asked that question. She was getting ready to deny or approve the request. It all depended on the question that'd be asked next...

Koizumi Kasha

Flowing Flame-like Bird | END POST

KEI SAIONJI

Kasha seemed to have all his ducks in a row. This investigation, if it proved fruitful, would save much-needed time. The Sixth Division had resources, but there was only so much its resources could do in a day. She had seen J come home with bags under his eyes—something she never thought she'd witness. She just needed Kasha to answer a question that had been building from the start.

"And lastly... Are you prepared for the consequences of failure? If you are allowed to perform this investigation, and you come to the wrong conclusion, and action is taken as a result—are you ready to shoulder such responsibility?" There were wrong answers and there were right answers. But there was only one answer Kei was looking for. From the little she gathered of Kasha in their conversation, she thought she knew his answer. Time to prove her right.